Shoe holder



United States Patent [72] Inventor Peter Joseph Daley Hudson,Massachusetts (Harvard Road Stow, MA 01775) [2!] Appl. No. 794,649 [22]Filed .Ian. 28, 1969 [45] Patented Nov. 3,1970

[54] SHOE HOLDER 17 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl. 211/37 [51 Int. Cl. A47f 7/08 [50] Field olSearch 211/37,38,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 384,334 6/l888 Reichenbach21 N34 Primary Examiner-Nile C. Byers, Jr. Attorney-Joseph S. landiorioABSTRACT: Apparatus is disclosed for holding a pair of shoes togetherincluding a first pair of elements for engaging the toes of the shoes, asecond pair of elements for engaging the heels of the shoes andinterconnection means for connect ing the first and second pairs ofelements to each other to secure the shoes together, at least a part ofone of the pairs of elements or the interconnection means beingresilient Patentd Nov. 3,1970

VVVVVVVVVV VVVVVVVV PETE/P J DALE) INVENTOR.

AFTOR/VE).

Patented Nov, 3, 1970 Sheet of 2 IN VENTOR.

PETE}? J. DALE) ATTOR/VE).

.snonuonnsn BACKGROUND 'OFINVENTION boots, othersrequire that-they bemoistenediuponuse in order to tightly holdthe bootswhensomeholdersareengaged with the shoes, .they are ,not -capableof beingset down in a freestanding position with the heelsortoespointing upward:

they would simply ,tumble to aposition in which they are on their sideor backs which is, irotldesirable if they must be left'in snow or otherundesirable atmosphere.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION It is therefore anobject of this invention toprovide an'improved shoe ,holder. which issmall, lightweight compact,collapsible, and may be easily carried folded in a pocket or the likewhen not in use.

It is therefore an object of thisrinvention to provide an im-' provedshoe holder which may be installed on a pair ofshoes quickly, easily andwithout a need for adjustment and which may be collapsed and folded 'topocket size.

It is therefore an object of this inventionto' provide an improved shoeholder which when installed on the shoes permits -the shoes and holderas a unit to befree standing in an upright position.

The invention may be accomplished by shoe holder apparatus including apair of, toe elements swingably connected with each other and adapted togrip the toes of a pair of shoes. A pair of heel elements are swingablyconnected with each other and are adapted to grip the heels of a pair ofshoes. Interconnection means are provided for connecting the pairs ofheel and toe elements together. At least a part of one of the pairs ofelements and interconnection means are resilient.

In preferred embodiments a handle is provided and either the toeelements or heel elements or both pairs of elements include standmembers for enabling the shoes. and shoe holder apparatus to form afreestanding unit.

DISCLOSURE OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Other objects, features andadvantages will occur from the following description of a preferredembodiment and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an axonometric view of a shoe holder apparatus according tothis invention.

FIG. 1A is an axonometric viewof a portion of a shoe .holder similar tothat shown in FIG. sl'having alternative means for interconnectingtheheel and toe pieces withthe springs.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the apparatus ofFlG, 1 shown installed on apairof ski boot's.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a portion of a toe or heel holding elementincluding a collapsible standmember.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a portion of a, pair of toe or heel holdingelements including collapsible standmembers, one of g which is extendedand one of which is collapsed.

FIG. 5 isan axonometric view .of another embodiment of the invention inwhich. the shoe'engaging pieces are arranged for scissor action.

' of shoe engaging pieces 14, 16 by springs 18 and 20, FIG. 1.

Each piece, 10, 1 2, 14, and 1.6 is bent or curved, Le. inflected tofacilitate'its function of engaging the end of a shoe or boot,

i.e. eitherthe toe above the welt or the back of the shoe just abovetheheel. At eachend of each of the pieces is a means for engaging a spring.or connection member. In this embodiment piece has eyes or loops22, 24;piece 12 has loops 26,

28; piece-14 has loops 30, 32; piece16 has loops 34, 36.

Pieces 10 and .12 may be swingably connected to each other and tosprings 18 and 20, and pieces 14 and 16 may be swingably connected toeach other and to springs 18 and 20' directly or by connectionmcanssuchas rings 38, 40, 42, and 44. Ring 38 interconnects loops 22 and26 and hook 46 of spring 18. Ring 40 interconnects loops 24 and 28 andhook 48 of spring 20. Ring 42 interconnects loops 30 and 34 and hook -ofspring 18. Ring 44 interconnects loops 32 and 36 and hook '52 of spring20. A handle 54 havingloops 56, 58 may be connected with rings 38 and40, as shown, or with rings 42 and 44. The interconnecting function ofrings 38, 40, 42, and 44 may be performed by various other means. Forexample, the hooks60 and 64, FIG. 1A, may be used in place of rings 38and 42.

A stand piece 68,70 may be connected to each piece 14 and 16 and/or eachpiece 10 and 12 to enable the apparatus to stand upright when installedon a pair of shoes. The stand pieces may be integrally, movably,collapsibly or removably connected with the shoe engaging pieces.

The shoe holding apparatus of FIG. 1 is shown installed on a pair ofboots 72, 74, FIG. 2, arranged in sole 76 to sole 78 and heel 80 wheel82 relationship. Pieces 10 and 12 engage the toes and pieces 14 and 16the heels of boots 72, 74. However,

f both boots may be'inverted sothat pieces 10 and 12 grip the heels andpieces 14 and 16 grip the toes or one of the boots may be inverted sothat pieces 10 and 16 grip the toes and pieces 12 and 14 grip the heels.

A collapsible stand piece-68' is shown associated with a shoe engagingpiece 14 in FIG. 3. Bars 84 and 86 have curled portions 88, 90, woundabout element 91, which terminate in ends 92, 94 respectively, that bearagainst piece 14' on the opposite side from the junction of the bars 84,86 and curled portions'88, 90. Pressure on base 96 of stand piece 68 inthe direction of arrow 98, into the paper in FIG. 3,-does not move piece68' because of the blocking action of ends 92, 94, whereas pressure onbase 96 in the direction of arrow 100, out of the paper in FIG. 3,rotates piece 68' about element 91 and collapses, the stand piece 68'against the shoe engaging to piece 14'. This action may be betterunderstood with relation to FIG. 4 where shoe engaging pieces 14' and 16are shown in side view with stand piece 68' in the full extendedposition and stand piece 70' in the fully collapsed position.

In another embodiment the shoe engaging pieces are pivoted together toprovide scissor action as shown in FIG. 5. Shoe engaging piece havingholes 112, 114 is pivotally connected at pins116, 118, between theinflected part 119 and holes 112, 114, to shoe engaging piece 120 havingholes 122 and 124. at points between the inflected part 125 and holes122, 124. Shoe engaging piece 126 having holes 128, 130 ispivotallyconnected at pins 132, 134 between inflected part 135 and holes 128, 130to shoe engaging piece 136 hav- 4 ing holes 137, 138 at points betweenthe inflected part 139 and holes 137, 138. Pieces .110 and 120 areresiliently connected with pieces 126 and 136 by means of springs 133',140, 142, and 144 connected between holes 112 and 128, 114and 130, 124and 138, and 122 and 137. A handle 146 may be connected with one pair ofshoe engaging pieces such as at connecting webs 160, 162 are resilientmaterial, such as rubber. Alternatively, the webs 160, 162 may benonresilient and pieces 152, 154, 156, 158 may be resilient, or theapparatus may be formed in three parts, such that the first part,

pieces 152, 154 are connected to the second part, webs 160,-

162 by clamps or fasteners 164, 166 shown in phantom, respectively, andwebs 160, 162 are connected to the third part, pieces 156, 158byfasteners 168, 170, shown in phantom, respectively. A stand element orelements may be attached to fasteners 164, 166 or 168, 170 or to pieces152, 154 or 156, 158 or webs 160, 162. The holder of FIG. 1 is shownfolded into a small, compact arrangement in FIG. 7.

Various arrangements and types of parts may be combined to implementthis invention. For example, the resilient means may be one or moresprings in tension or compression, rubber or rubberlike elements or anycomponent or components that permit the device to be stretched out tofit the shoes and bias the pairs of shoe engaging pieces towards eachother. The different parts of the apparatus may be made of any suitabletype of material such as metal, wood, plastic, etc., and may be.

terconnection means may be nonresilient, or parts of one or both of theshoe engaging pieces in one or both pairs of shoe engaging pieces and/orparts of the interconnection means may be made of resilient material.

lClaim:

1. Shoe holder apparatus comprising:

a first portion including a first pair of first and second elementsswingably connected with each other, each of said elements being adaptedto grip the end ofa shoe;

a second portion including a second pair of third and fourth elementsswingably connected with each other, each of said elements being adaptedto grip the end ofa shoe; and

a third portion including means for interconnecting said first andsecond portions, at least part of one of said portions being resilient.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which each of said portions is formed ofresilient material.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said first portion is formed ofresilient material.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said third portion is formed ofresilient material.

5.The apparatus of claim 1 in which each of said elements includes aninflected section for gripping the end ofthe shoe.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which each of said elements has first andsecond connection means.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further including a first set of connectionmembers including a first connection member for swingablyinterconnecting said first connection means of said first and secondelements, and a secondconnection member for swingably interconnectingsaid second connection means of said first and second elements. and asecond set of connection members including a third connection member forswingably interconnecting said first connection means of said third andfourth elements, and a fourth connection member for swingablyinterconnecting said'second connection means of said third and fourthelements.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further including handle meansinterconnected with one of said first and second pairs of elements.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 further including handle meansinterconnected with one of said first and second sets of connectionmembers.

10. The apparatus of claim ,1 in which each of said elements in at leastone of said firstand second pairs of elements includes a stand memberfor maintaining the shoes and holder apparatus in an upright position.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 in which each said stand member is fixedto its associated said element.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 in which each said stand member isintegral with its associated said element.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 in which each said stand member iscollapsibly associated with its associated said element.

14. The apparatus of claim 7 in which said means for interconnectingincludes a first resilient member interconnecting said first and thirdconnection members.

15. The apparatusofclaim 14 in which said means for interconnectingincludes a second resilient member interconnecting said second andfourth connection members.

16. The apparatus ofclaim 15 in which said first and second resilientmembers include spring means.

17. The apparatus of claim 6 in which said first and second elements areswingably connected at pivot points between their respectivesaid-connection means and their respective said inflected section, andsaid third and fourth elements are swingably connected at pivot pointsbetween their respective said connection means and their respective saidinflected sections. l

